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Scrap Dogs
The Scrap Dogs are presently the largest and most powerful raider gang in the Detroit Wasteland, the result of a combination of good planning and opportunism. Operating out of the Henry Wainwright Towers, they are a threat to Park Lane and other communities, as well as traders travelling through the ruined city. History Rise to power What would eventually become the Scrap Dogs came together in 2268, growing out of a group of raiders who had coalesced together for survival. Initially operating out of a ruined factory on the northern side of the city, the group were at first mostly concerned with keeping themselves alive and in caps, and had few scruples about what they did to get there. Most of their initial attacks were focused on easy targets, such as scavengers or traders moving through the areas, but they rarely had much beyond simply what they needed to get by. One of their number, a man known as Rusty Blade, began to emerge as a leader; not only did he show the typical raider boss traits of brutality and ruthlessness, but he also showed better organisational skills and an ability to plan ahead beyond just simply the next score. Rusty Blade began to organise the group, who were now calling themselves the Scrap Dogs for the scrap metal in the buildings around them that they often converted into makeshift armour. After taking control of the gang (through killing the previous leader), Rusty began to redirect the group. Under his lead, their activities became far more directed and focused. A man with an eye for technology and a better understanding of it then many of his subordinates, Rusty began looking for equipment and weapons that could better help their cause. An expedition saw them dig their way into an old machine shop which gave them access to tools and equipment. With a bit of work, the Scrap Dogs were now producing their own scratch-built firearms out of scrap metal, giving them a ready supply of weapons, even if they were of dubious quality and often unreliable At the same time, Rusty Blade also better directed their operations. Not only was he picking out more prime targets that offered greater rewards, but he was redirecting their operations towards more prime territories to the south, rather then the city’s less populated (and more ruined) north. This bought the Scrap Dogs into conflict with other gangs that didn’t like the competition and others operating on their territory. The Mean Machines gang in particular chose to push back against them, aiming to drive the Scrap Dogs out of their territory and punish them for their trespassing. Rather then seeing this as a threat, Rusty Blade took it as an opportunity. A short lived gang war broke out during the summer of 2269 which saw the Mean Machines quickly out-manoeuvred by their better coordinated enemies. The Rust Dogs proved to be adept at predicting their foes’ actions and staging ambushes, which cost the Mean Machines heavily. Falling back, they were unprepared for a direct attack on their hideout by the Scrap Dogs. The bulk of the surviving Mean Machines were captured, and forcibly integrated into the Scrap Dogs. Savage Steve, the leader of the Mean Machines, was executed to prove a point. In one move, the Scrap Dogs had increased their size and holdings, while eliminating a powerful threat. Even accounting for the losses that both sides had suffered, the gang had managed to grow in numbers during the conflict. But Rusty Blade was not content with this progress, and sought to further expand his gang’s reach and size. He felt that the recent driving of the Army of Revolution out of the Detroit Wasteland had left a power vacuum behind, one that he intended to fill. While they did continue to raid settlements, traders, scavengers and whatever else they could find, the Scrap Dogs also sought out other raider gangs that they could absorb into their own. In many cases, small, independent outfits simply accepted their offers, either for the opportunity it represented, or simple acknowledgement that they had no chance to fight off the Scrap Dogs. Conflicts with the Fire Bombers (2271), the Jet Jocks (2272) and the Leatherfaces (2274) saw those rival gangs defeated and their survivors and territories folded into the Scrap Dogs’ own. Reformation Riding high on his success, Rusty Blade made a rare misstep in August 2274. The Scrap Dogs were moving on the territory of the Red Fangs, a gang run by his former lover, Wolf Blackheart. Rather then their usual approach of simply conquering their enemies with superior numbers, Rusty Blade had hoped for a more peaceful integration of the gang, apparently out of some misplaced sentiment towards their leader. Either out of recognition of their situation or similar feelings, Wolf Blackheart agreed to meet Rusty Blade at a neutral venue to open discussions. Unfortunately, fate intervened. The apartment building that they chose as their neutral ground, located on the west side of the city, wound up being in the path of a pack of Super Mutants from Zug Island. Unaware of exactly who was inside, but seeing an opportunity to fight and eat, the Mutants stormed the building and killed everyone inside. Trapped on the last floor, Wolf Blackheart and Rusty Blade were the last to die, killing each other rather then risk being captured. Realising what had happened, Rusty Blade’s second, Scope Dog, took control of the gang. After silencing the few who disagreed with him, he set about consolidating the gang’s hold on their existing territories while also quietly bringing in the rest of the Red Fangs. Scope Dog also made moves to reform the gang’s structure and chain of command in order to prevent the infighting and power struggles that had in past torn apart large rider gangs. While still far from a professional force, the Scope Dogs were now far better organised and coherent then the average raider gang. While the gang gained only a relatively small amount of territory under Scope Dog’s rule, it advanced in other ways. Like Rusty Blade, Scope Dog had an interest in technology, and this influence began to spread throughout the gang. Acquiring technology and weapons became not just a means to an end for the gang, but instead changed into something of a symbol of status and power. Many of its members took to adorning themselves with non-functional pre-war junk as a way of flaunting their relative wealth. Their biggest technological boon came in 2277 when the gang found an intact Power Armour Frame in a ruined building. While the armour itself was largely damaged or missing, the frame itself was still fully functional, and the Scrap Dogs were able to salvage it. Using their technical skills, the raiders rebuilt it into a fully functioning power armour suit, giving them a powerful weapon. However, much of this opportunity would wind up being squandered; while the suit was initially used to lad raids, Scope Dog began to see it as being ‘his’ personal property. As a result, it began to be used more as a decoration then an actual weapon. Scope Dog died unexpectedly in 2280 when he fell from the top of a ruined building. While few believed it was an accident, none were willing to step forward and say anything. His second, Roughcut took command of the Scrap Dogs unopposed. Conquest While he shared Scope Dog’s interest in technology, Roughcut was more ambitious and adventurous then his predecessor. He wished to give the Scrap Dogs a home that would allow them to consolidate their power and cement their hold over the lucrative Cass Corridor trade route while opening Park Lane up as a target. His own network of informants were keeping alert for anything that could be of use to them, not an easy task given the contested nature of the region. An opportunity presented itself in 2283 when mercenaries from Park Lane cleared the Henry Wainwright Towers of raiders. Seeing the buildings as being ideal for his goals, Roughcut moved the Scrap Dogs in force to seize them and claim them for their own. Encountering little in the way of organised resistance, the Scrap Dogs were able to hold the towers and then move in before anyone knew what was going on. Quickly moving in, Roughcut had the buildings fortified against what he saw as the inevitable attempt to drive the Scrap Dogs out. It was only scant weeks later that Park Lane responded as expected, sending a group of mercenaries to clear out the towers. Not knowing exactly who they were facing, the mercenaries were unprepared for how well dug in and coordinated the Scrap Dogs were, and were quickly wiped out. Their weapons and equipment were confiscated, while Roughcut had the body of the mercenary leader sent back to Park Lane as a warning. For the next two years they were able to operate with impunity, striking targets across the ruined city. While individual attacks might be repulsed and the Scrap Dogs did lose the occasional outpost, their headquarters in the towers remained unassailable. The threat they represented was such that the Army of Revolution attempted to negotiate a non-aggression pact with the gang in 2284. Roughcut responded by killing all but one of the emissaries sent to him, and then torturing the survivor before sending them back. The Scrap Dogs took an opportunistic approach to the Revolutionary War, raiding targets on both sides of the conflict while refusing to get involved with either. As the tide turned against the Army of Revolution, the Scrap Dogs took to preying exclusively on their weakened forces, taking advantage of their crumbing offensive and chain of command. In many cases, the Scrap Dogs captured their enemies rather then killing them outright, offering them the opportunity to join the gang. Few refused. As a result, the Scrap Dogs came out ahead in the Revolutionary War. They bolstered their numbers while also salvaging weapons and equipment while avoiding the worst of the fighting. As a result, the gang has become the largest of all the Raider gangs in the Detroit Wasteland while remaining firmly ensconced within their fortress home. War Park Lane had remained the Scrap Dogs’ primary target in the post-war period, due to the rich pickings the town and its traders offered. While they would very rarely stray too close to its defences, they would pick on trade caravans, travellers heading to and from the city, scavenging parties and so on. Their prior victories over Park Lane and securing of the Henry Wainwright Towers gave them a sense of confidence, one that was bolstered by their considerable arsenal and the acknowledgement of their position as the city’s largest raider group. When news reached Roughcut about the bombing of the Park Lane City Council, he saw it as too good an opportunity to pass up. He figured that Park Lane, left leaderless and confused after such a violent attack, would be weakened and ripe for the taking. Calling together his lieutenants, Roughcut pressed for an immediate attack. His plan was simple; they would overwhelm the defenders with the weight of their numbers and then take the town. Once inside, they’d simply loot it for everything that it was worth, and walk out with “mountains of caps and whatever else crap we can take” in his words. What Roughcut was unaware of was the survival of the Park Lane Safety Patrol’s leader, Chief Ernesto Salsa. Effectively taking over the town, Salsa figured that the bombing was the prelude to an imminent attack and was preparing for the inevitable. As much as he disliked the town’s mercenary population, he also knew that they would be needed and was willing to continue paying for their employment in its defence. The result was that what Roughcut had predicted to be an easy walkover quickly bogged down as the Scrap Dogs faced heavier opposition than expected. They were, for the most part, stopped short of the own proper, unable to breach its walls. Seeing that his attack was faltering, Roughcut bought up their sole Power Armour and robot, Ms Murderfase, to try and breach the walls. This gave them the opening they needed to get inside the town, even if they had suffered heavier casualties than expected. Once inside, everything went bad. Both Ms Murderfase and the Power Armour were struck by heavy weapons fire and forced to fall back. The rest of the Scrap Dogs were then attacked by massed fire pouring from the upper levels of the community’s buildings, as everyone who could hold a gun joined in the defence. Realising that his assault was failing, and not wanting to make the situation any worse than it was, Roughcut ordered a retreat, pulling back to the towers. By any assessment, the attack was a disaster. The Scrap Dogs had suffered substantial losses for no gain; many of their men had died in the field, and more were wounded and would be either out of action for some time, if not crippled. Both Ms Murderfase and their Power Armour would require substantial rebuilds before they would be effective as well, depriving the Scrap Dogs of their two most potent assets. The only real saving grace of the mess was that Park Lane had not chosen to pursue them or take the opportunity to clean out the towers. Unexpected Allies The defeat at Park Lane had weakened the Scrap Dogs, leading to fears that Cake or Death (with whom they shared a border) might make a move to capitalise on the situation. While the rival gang were still smaller then the Scrap Dogs, their leader, Mrs Mothrapickles, had a level of drive and a surprising degree of strategic acumen that made her a dangerous enemy. Even if they were unlikely to defeat the Scrap Dogs, Cake or Death could still carve out a chunk of their territory. Instead of a gang war, Roughcut found himself approached by an entirely different group who had much more to offer him. The Army of Revolution sent emissaries to the gang, offering them an alliance. This came as a surprise to Roughcut, given the prior relationship between the two groups. During the Revolutionary war, the Scrap Dogs had not only refused an offer of alliance, but had opportunistically preyed on the revolutionaries to bolster their own standing. Now the Army of Revolution was approaching them with open arms, willing to let the past go and instead providing them with the opportunity that Roughcut so craved. The Army of Revolution would provide the Scrap Dogs with weapons and other supplies, allowing them to rearm in the face of their losses. In turn, they would aid the Revolutionaries in the conquest of Park Lane, with the two groups combining their considerable forces. Not willing to let the opportunity go, while also being eager for some measure of revenge after their humiliating defeat, Roughcut agreed. The few voices of dissent within the Scrap Dogs were quickly silenced, with the rest of the gang quickly falling in line. However, Roughcut would have his own misgivings when he was introduced to his new allies. Besides the Army of Revolution, he would also be working alongside Cake or Death, who had also joined this growing alliance. While there was considerable tension between him and Mrs Mothrapickles, the pair were able to agree to work together, even if it was clear that neither were happy with the arrangement. Behind her back, Roughcut joked that Mrs Mothrapickles had sold her men for cake. Despite this, the attack proved to be a success. While the Scrap Dogs used the same tactics as before, they now had two advantages. The first was, of course, sheer numbers, with the Scrap Dogs being bolstered by their allies. The second was that they were able to surround Park Lane on three sides, forcing the Safety Patrol to spread themselves out while not being able to concentrate their forces. As a result, the attackers were able to breach the defences, pouring in to Park Lane proper. As the Safety Patrol fell back, the Scrap Dogs and their allies pressed their advantage, moving quickly through the town. A heroic last stand by Salsa and a few others served to slow their progress, allowing a portion of the town’s population to escape. However, ultimately their actions were dismissed as inconsequential; Park Lane had fallen. Turnabout Whatever expectations Roughcut had of the conquest of Park Lane, they were quickly dashed by the Army of Revolution. Their allies held him and his gang back from the unrestrained looting spree they had been hoping for, instead noting that they wanted the town intact and functional, and that it would be no use to them reduced to a burnt ruin. Instead they were paid off generously in caps looted form the town’s coffers, as well as salvage and goods abandoned by those that had fled. While it was a victory, it was not the one they had wanted, leading to no small degree of discontent. Instead a portion of the Scrap Dogs were given the task of helping to secure and garrison the town, helping both to enforce the Army of Revolution’s rule and ensure that no force tried to retake the community. Roughcut and Ripsaw both found themselves staying in the town more and more often, preferring the luxury suites they ‘requisitioned’ preferable to the decrepit Henry Wainwright Towers. However, neither of them were entirely happy with the situation, especially given that they were now bound to the Revolutionaries. Following reports of the victory over the Black Skull Company, Roughcut and Ripsaw became even more wary for their future. On the surface, it seemed that they had won; after all, they had conquered Park Lane, taken a share of its wealth and secured their holdings. However, the pair of them could not help but be reminded of the Hellfire gang, who had fallen to complacency and eventually been destroyed by it, or Preah Khan and his own failed efforts at empire-building. As the occupation of Park Lane wore on, the morale of their men began to fray. Not used to extended inactivity, they became restless and sought out releases to the tension. Forbidden from taking it out on the people of Park Lane, and bound by their alliance that prevented them from going after Cake or Death, Roughcut sought other options. He took to rotating his men between Park Lane and their other holdings, and staging expeditions into the ruined city’s western side to search for loot. Even then, he knew that this would only be a temporary measure and that sooner or later he would have to confront the situation head on. Ambition’s Price The first signs that things were not going to plan were not anything obvious or dramatic. Rather, Ripsaw began noticing an ever decreasing number of Cake or Death members in Park Lane. Clearly they were going somewhere, but she had no idea where. She relayed this information to Roughcut, who began to suspect the rival gang were preparing for an attack on them. He intended to confront Mrs Mothrapickles about this situation, only to find that she had also disappeared from the town. Fearing the worst, he had much of the gang’s strength moved to prepare for an attack, while also keeping only the bare minimum of force present in Park Lane. News of the revolt in Scrap Iron City and the subsequent schism within the Army of Revolution only served to underscore their fears. Concerned that they were now bound to a sinking ship, Roughcut tried to look for an out from their alliance. Unfortunately, it became clear that the Revolutionaries had planned for such an occurrence. Maurice Speckler, the commander of the Park Lane garrison, made it clear that should the Scrap Dogs try to leave the alliance, then they would find that their holdings were surrounded by the Revolutionaries. And while he knew that the Revolutionaries would likely not be able to defeat his gang, he also knew that any conflict would be costly, especially if Cake or Death chose to take advantage of it. Reluctantly he agreed to continue working with his allies, but at the same time, Roughcut continued to look for a way out. However, it was an external factor that gave him what he wanted. When news came of the fall of the Castle, Roughcut knew that Park Lane would be next. As expected, Speckler came to him demanding that he use his forces to head off any potential attack. Roughcut turned the Army’s own agreement against them, stating that his forces were hired specifically to attack and hold Park Lane, and nothing more. Having bought themselves some more time, he began to prepare for what would come next. Even then, they did not expect the strength or ferocity of the attack that came. Whereas Roughcut was confident that his Raider Power Armour suit would protect him, he instead found himself facing four enemy Power Armour suits, each one of them superior to his. Badly wounded by enemy fire, he fell back to the northern side of the city with the rest of his forces. Once extracted from his Power Armour, the medics found that his situation was a lot worse then expected. Roughcut died during the night, but not before naming Ripsaw as his successor. The next morning she confronted Speckler directly, presenting him with an ultimatum. Either he would let the Scrap Dogs go peacefully, or they would fight their way out. Reluctantly Speckler agreed to her terms, with the gang departing Park Lane just as the fighting began again. Having completely abandoned their allies, Ripsaw lead her men back to their territory, determined to rebuild and to hold on to whatever she could. The gang had lost their leader and a good number of men, but at the very least had made off with an ample supply of caps, chems and, of course, the weapons their allies had provided to them. These would become the tools that she would use to ensure their future. Description Despite their size and level of organisation, the Scrap Dogs are still a raider gang. Its members are still driven by the same basic impulses as an average raider; greed, addiction, a love of violence, a willingness to do anything to survive, insanity or any combination thereof. What sets them apart is how they gang is organised, channeling and directing those base impulses while avoiding the infighting that is so common to raiders. The gang’s lieutenants are expected to be responsible for the men under them, giving them a reason to keep them under control and prevent them from tearing each other (or themselves) apart. Their operations are focused on the same basic needs as other raiders. They take whatever they need to survive, be it food, chems, caps, weapons and technology and so forth. The territories the gang directly controls are ruled through fear, with many unwilling to risk being killed (or worse) by the raiders. Other gangs that attempt to cross the Scrap Dogs usually find themselves given an offer to join the gang or be wiped out; should a gang prove to be particularly defiant or bloody-minded, the Scrap Dogs usually will skip diplomacy all together. At present, Roughcut sees the Cake or Death raider gang as their greatest enemies. The rival gang are large, well-organised and well dug in to their base in the RNG Ammunition Factory, in a situation that mirrors their own. Feeling that a full-fledged gang war would be potentially ruinous for both parties, Roughcut has put out feelers towards their leader, Mrs Mothrapickles, towards building an alliance. Likewise, he has approached the Wrecking Crew gang in the hope of extending his reach into downtown. The Scrap Dogs have a fascination with technology that borders on idolatry. Possession of high-tech equipment is seen as being a mark of status, even if the owner has no real need for it. Weapons are especially prized for not only their capabilities by as a sign of the owner’s wealth and power within the gang. At present, the headquarters of the gang is the Henry Wainwright Towers, located north of the downtown region. They also have several other bases in the Detroit Wasteland, including the machine shop that they use to churn out their scratch-built pipe weapons. Equipment As a raider gang, the Scrap Dogs have a wide array of equipment based on whatever they have been able to salvage, steal or build for themselves. The most common firearms found within the gang are scratch-built ‘pipe’ weapons, which they manufacture themselves in their various holdings. While these weapons are often poorly made and unreliable, they are still a step up from having nothing at all. Many often carry secondary melee weapons, ranging from the purpose designed like machetes and knives to improvised weapons like baseball bats and pool cues. Overall coherence of teams is poor, with most members armed with whatever they can get their hands on. The more senior (or fortunate) members of the gang will often possess working pre-war firearms, ranging from pistols to assault rifles and the like. Such weapons are also often seen as status symbols within the gang, and are often well-looked after and maintained by their owners. After the Revolutionary War, salvaged Foundry-made rifles also found their way into the gang’s hands. Energy Weapons are virtually unknown within the gang, with only a few examples in their service. The Scrap Dogs possess a single Raider Power Armour that they built up from a recovered frame and scrap metal. Over the years the gang has tinkered with it and made numerous modifications to the design in an effort to improve its performance. The suit isn’t assigned to any one operator, but rather is assigned as needed. Roughcut would ideally like to have more, but obviously is limited by the lack of available frames. One interesting feature of the Scrap Dogs is that all their members wear masks in the field. Initially this came form the need to survive during the bad radstorm seasons of the late 2260s, but over time it evolved into something more ceremonial and decorative. The Scrap Dogs never willingly show their faces to outsiders, presenting an image of the gang as something more then just a raider band. Many go even further and wear their masks at all times, unless practical reasons dictate otherwise (such as sleeping). Notable Members Notable Members Roughcut The current leader of the Scrap Dogs, Roughcut on the outside fits the image of the stereotypical raider. Violent, brutal and unforgiving, he lives his life by taking what he wants, usually through using violence as his first (and only) option. He rose to power through strength and the willingness to use it, and has shown no mercy to both his foes and his own men who try to betray or undermine him, or advance themslves at the expense of the gang. Underneath this exterior is a cunning, sharp-witted man posessed of a cruel intelligence. A planner and thinker, he prefers to act on long-term goals and objectives, rather then the short-term immediate fix that other raiders aim for. He has discretely moulded the Scrap Dogs into an intelligent, focused operation that is a step above the normal raider, while still maintaining their savage edge. His goal is to make the Scrap Dogs into a true power within the Detroit Wasteland, one that should not have to fear anything else. To this end, he has even made overtures towards other raider leaders with the aim of building a greater alliance. Roughcut is fascinated with technology, and enjoys tinkering with salvage. His favourite pastime is to get high on Mentats and see what he can create while under their influence. Ripsaw The current second in command of the Scrap Dogs, Ripsaw rose through the ranks as much through her skills with a gun and as a leader as she did through her technical knowledge and capabilities. Well-read and technically proficient, Ripsaw is even more of an avid tinkerer and engineer then her leader. Her knowledge goes beyond simple mechanics however, and includes sophisticated fields such as robotics, computers and electronics. Most of this is self-taught, coming from a library of recovered texts and holotapes that she has hoarded over the years. Under her lead, the Scrap Dogs have begun a number of technical projects that far exceeded their prior capabilities. Beyond simply tinkering with technology, Ripsaw has a secret fascination with what she knows of cybernetics and human augmentation. Ideally, she would like to experiment with such fields, including upgrading herself to be something more then human. However, for the moment she is hampered both by a lack of cybernetics to test and the lack of anyone with the skills needed to perform such operations. Ms Murderface One of Ripsaw’s creations, Ms Murderface began life as a salvaged, inoperable Assaultron frame recovered from a ruined building. Rather then simply breaking it up for parts, she chose to try and repair and rebuild it, both as an experiment in robotics and the desire to give the Scrap Dogs another powerful weapon. The result was a success, with the Assaultron being reactivated and reprogrammed to follow the Scrap Dogs’ orders. To make it fully functional in the field, Ripsaw built new armour for the Robot out of scrap metal, aiming to give it a deliberately horrifying appearance. Named Ms Murderface (originally a nickname that stuck), the robot proved to be a success. More then a match for the average raider or mercenary, it also was utterly ruthless and merciless, not caring who or what it killed. Since then, Roughcut has given Ripsaw permission to build other robots to bolster his forces. For the moment, however, she is limited by a lack of available materials. Category:Groups Category:Raiders Category:Michigan